All eyes on future Olympic stars as track and field series gets underway

The biggest and most prestigious nationwide schools’ series in South African athletics will get underway this weekend when the inaugural Track and Field campaign opens with the first leg to be held at Hartswater High School in the Northern Cape.

A joint venture between SuperSport, Athletics South Africa and South African Schools Athletics, Track and Field will provide opportunities for high school athletes across the country, with meetings being held in all nine provinces.

Each meeting during the two-month campaign will include track and field events in the U15, U17, and U19 age groups for boys and girls.

The programmes will feature 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, and relay races, as well as long jump, shot put, and javelin throw contests.

The best boys and girls teams at each of the nine provincial meetings will be invited to participate in the Grand Finale, which will be held in Gauteng between 10 to 12 April, bringing the top performers in each region together to compete for national honours.

"This series is focused on inclusivity and ensuring schools around South Africa are given opportunities to participate not only against other schools in their provinces, but also against the top schools from around the country," said former Olympic sprinter and series co-founder Mathew Quinn.

"The series, which is open to all high schools in South Africa, will unearth the nation's future Olympic stars as we look to crown the top athletics school in the country."

All 10 meetings in the series will be broadcast live on SuperSport Schools, giving young athletes from every province a chance to showcase their talent.

SuperSport chief executive, Rendani Ramovha, said "SuperSport is Africa’s premier sports broadcaster, producing and broadcasting local and international sport, and we are the biggest funder of sports in Africa.

"As part of that investment in growing sport, we are excited to be part of the boldest youth sports competition in South Africa, which is track and field. The schools’ competition is set to transform the sport of athletics for many current and future generations.

"We are proud to have partnered with Athletics South Africa, Sub 10 and SA Schools Athletics."

FIXTURES:

15 February – Northern Cape (Hartswater High School, Hartswater)

18 February – Limpopo (Hoërskool Ben Vorster)

20 February – North West (NWU McArthur Stadium, Potchefstroom)

22 February – Gauteng (University Of Johannesburg, Johannesburg)

26 February – Free State (DP De Villiers Stadium, Sasolburg)

27 February – Eastern Cape (Queens College, Queenstown)

1 March – Mpumalanga (Lillian Ngoyi Stadium, Secunda)

5 March – KwaZulu-Natal (Msunduzi Stadium, Pietermaritzburg)

22 March – Western Cape (Dal Josafat Athletics Stadium, Paarl)

10-12 April – Final (Gauteng, TBC)